


Like A Bridge...,

by 1f_this_be_madness



Series: A Boy And His Angel - Feathers and Legs [4]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Again because I can't help myself, Banter, Blood and Injury, Boys Kissing, Communication, Cuddling & Snuggling, Cuties, Dancing and Singing, Dark Comedy, Developing Relationship, Did I mention healthy relationships? Because Adam and Michael have one, Emergency Medical Technicians, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Everyone deserves tea, Feelings, Firefighters, Foreplay, Gen, Gotta laugh at something right?, Greetings from the softest angel in the garrison (yes it's Michael), Hugs, I have so many Adam headcanons, Including the one where he went through cotillion, Inspired by Music, Literally Michael enjoys Adam kissing him so much, M/M, Medical Procedures, Michael loves Adam - this needs to be a tag, Non-Explicit, Police, Pop Culture, Post-Canon, Singing, Slice of Life, Soft Michael (Supernatural), Swearing, THEY'RE SO SOFT HELP, Tea, Technology, Trauma, awkward dorks, the author is a sap
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:08:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27948812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1f_this_be_madness/pseuds/1f_this_be_madness
Summary: Over troubled water...Michael isn't talking. But Adam is still listening, no matter what. He is both on the job and at home, hoping desperately to understand.Understand himself, and Michael, and what they mean to one another now; if it is - or must be - different from then.What are they to each other?
Relationships: Adam Milligan & Kate Milligan, Adam Milligan & Original Character(s), Michael & Adam Milligan, Michael/Adam Milligan
Series: A Boy And His Angel - Feathers and Legs [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2030632
Comments: 24
Kudos: 32





	1. Chapter 1

"Hey Adam, how was your time off?"

"Oh, it was good," zipping up the rest of his jumpsuit, he puts his bag in lockup and looks over with a little smile. "How're you doing, Allie?"

"Well I've had three twelves last few days so I'm going out but"

"Yeesh, hard. You check on the rest of this week?"

"Yeah, Kyree is in tomorrow, and we have Christian and Pence coming from paramedic."

"Tyson and Malachi, are they on too?" 

"Oh yeah, were you on the three-car pileup?"

Adam's eyes get big. "No, I had the internal bleeding, possible hit-and-run so we called the trauma team."

"I heard about that, you got a friend out of it, right? Jessie said some nice fellow came home with you," Allie waggles her eyebrows. Adam shakes his head with a huff and slight smile.

"Jessie can't keep a lid on anything, can she?"

"Not at all." They laugh together, and Allie focuses on him harder. "Okay, though, spill. You're the quietest one we have and you bring home somebody from the hospital - people will talk."

"People always talk," Adam scoffs. "Doesn't matter whether or not I'm part of the gossip. It's - I met up with someone I haven't seen in a long time."

"...oh, that's nice. How long?"

"Six months." Adam bites his lip, bounces, looking down. "I - we were ..." What were they, exactly? He can never say anything akin to what they'd started as, angel and vessel; never mind expressing what it is they have become which is... what? It's something that seems so new, now, with Michael here in his own body (because they have been testing and checking, and day by day it becomes clearer and clearer this body Michael possesses is not a vessel. It is _him._ Which causes an entire host of feelings to well up within Adam, but he keeps calm. He stays collected, because he has to. He has always had to). "We've, uh, known each other, seems like more than a thousand years." He chuckles at himself, wryly. "But some stuff happened, we lost touch, and... I've missed him."

Some stuff happened is an understatement, but Adam has been tight-lipped about his life. Not in a way denoting anything other than a wish for privacy; he does not trust easily. He will be polite and talk a bit, but after the Cage the trust level he'd had before - as a latchkey kid, one has to sometimes be selective, and sometimes it's necessary to trust more people than one may want - was lowered exponentially.

His rig partner nods with a small smile and a pat on the arm. Allie has known him since he started this new phase of life here; she was in his class at the academy and they'd gone from studying together to working same shifts for the town medical center to being assigned to one rig. Adam knows that she listens to him and asks questions with a healthy dose of curiosity, but she isn't one to push.

Besides, if Adam opens that door, if he ever decides to talk about the Cage, or Michael, or any of it - how can he know what is gonna come through?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Starting a possibly longer piece about Michael and Adam - this one is going to include some more of Adam on the job, which I'm excited about :)
> 
> Comments appreciated


	2. Chapter 2

At this point, the laptop with information on calls begins pinging as their alarm system blares. "Well that's our cue," Adam fumbles at the keys, biting his lower lip and focusing hard. He's had to play a lot of catch-up on technology, this laptop is a lot smaller and lighter than the ones he was used to using before, but luckily they had a class on this specific technical application in EMT training. And if his hands move slowly and it takes him a little longer to get the screen up, it's less than a minute (and Allie put a shortcut to the application on his Home screen).

"I can't stand that blare some days," Allie mutters, and Tyson, striding up behind her, claps a hand on her shoulder as he situates his mask. 

"Gonna have to get used to it one day, girl."

"Ugh, I hate you," she grumbles, ducking away with a fond little eyeroll and giving him a teasing shove in the side.

"Least it keeps us all awake, though, huh?" Malachi, jogging in with his bag to toss in the rear of the rig, calls. "Sup Adam?" He connects to Adam's knuckles with a fist bump. "You driving?"

"Yep, figure if Allie's been on three shifts back-to-back already we should keep an eye on her."

"Shouldn't trust her driving, for sure." A wink is shot her way. 

"Ha ha. What have we got?" She leans over his shoulder as Adam scrolls down on the screen, clicking through the messages Dispatch sends.

"Oh, Mrs Jorgensen has low blood sugar again."

"Ah, that woman...," Malachi shakes his head.

"At least she called us with enough strength to talk this time, dispatch is telling me. Remember the day, the first time we were called to see her, I think? Went in and she was passed out with that spoon of peanut butter in her mouth?"

"Oh yeah, we thought she'd gone into anaphylaxis. Scary shit," Tyson says. "Least she actually has ANOTHER issue."

Adam shrugs. "Cooking her some food is way better than having to worry about an EpiPen."

"... You're not wrong." 

"Yo Christian, come on!" Malachi calls to one of their paramedics as Adam hands the computer to Allie and opens the driver's door, swinging himself up and in. Allie hands up the laptop and grabs her bag, tossing it in back. Tyson swings into the rear door as Malachi is beckoning to their stocky paramedic and adding "Let's go, Pencey, you too!"

"We're coming, we're coming, jeez," Adam hears Pence panting as he turns on the ignition and belts himself in whilst Allie climbs in the passenger side.

"Seatbelts, okay. Ready back there, guys?" He grabs the walkie off the dash to speak in.

"Ten-four," Tyson says. "Aaaand we're off to Mrs Jorgensen's!"

"I swear, Tyson, don't start with that 'Off to see the Wizard' stuff. I can't take it today, man...." 

***

After cooking an omelette for Mrs Jorgensen, cleaning her dishes for her and talking a little about her late husband once her blood sugar stabilizes, Adam goes on a few more calls, some heart issues and a fender bender. He returns to his house and despite - or maybe because - it's his first shift after days off, he's exhausted from talking to people all day and getting them to the hospital if necessary. Even as he's grateful, so grateful to be able to help, to focus on others rather than himself.

As he unlocks the door and drops his bag, getting out of his scrubs, he nearly convinces himself no one else is there; that, once he walks into his kitchen the lights will be off and Michael will be gone... It makes his heart thump madly and breath catch in his throat, and Adam reaches out with trembling fingers to catch hold of the edge of the wall at the end of the short hall.

But the warmth of his kitchen light is on, and Michael is turning away from the stove with a steaming cup of tea, the perfect drink for Adam after work - and it's just how he likes it, because the archangel tips a scoop of honey into the mug before stirring it.

His eyes are bright as "Hello, Adam, how are you?" He asks.

And Adam just about loses it for a minute before hauling a shuddering breath through his nose and shaking out the sleeves of the hoodie he had shrugged into. He slides into a chair and takes a drink of the tea before saying "I'm good now" quietly. Then reaches out and catches hold of Michael's forearm, eyes rising to hold the other's gaze. His voice is wobbling the tiniest bit as he continues: "Michael, I - just want to tell you that you're...this is - you being with me is really important." Adam swallows hard, so incredibly grateful not to be alone anymore. He just wants Michael to know, because after losing his mother and for the dreadful six months he spent by himself topside, he honestly never thought he would have anybody else. He presses his lips together with a tiny bounce in place and adds with a squeeze of Michael's arm, voice falling almost to a whisper, throat aching in his immense gratitude

"Just - thank you," Adam's voice breaks as he gestures vaguely, hoping to encompass the entire fact of Michael being here with him and _staying_. That, more than anything, means "So much."

And Michael nods, hesitating only the briefest instant before resting his own hand atop Adam's. His voice is rich with emotion as he answers 

"It is my sincere pleasure."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Information about messages coming in from dispatch as well as the instance with Mrs Jorgensen and her blood sugar comes from a conversation I had with two EMTs. Apparently there are frequent callers on ems routes sometimes.
> 
> I get the sense that Adam is a spoonful of honey, no sugar in his hot tea type of person. Isn't fussy about heating up a kettle on the stove or putting a teacup with water in the microwave. His mom being a nurse and having less than ten minutes for a break sometimes (never mind his own current work) taught him that
> 
> And Michael made an instant effort to remember what Adam likes so he can provide it. These two are incredible together I swear
> 
> Comments appreciated :)


	3. Chapter 3

Michael still has to struggle with the way he feels. Having feelings is... difficult. In a human body, which he now has; without a vessel to mitigate any of said feelings, he is at a loss. Finds himself growing irritated, often at his own lack of ability to express or control his emotions.

Such as when he is with Adam, as now, in his kitchen. After putting his hand over the boy's, he witnesses one of Adam's smiles. Where his eyes light up and his teeth shine in his face as he beams. Crinkling around the corners of his eyes nearly causes Michael to jerk away. He feels a sense of... helplessness, or something akin; truly he does not know what to do about this feeling. 

Adam seems to be able to recognize something in him; in his face, or the manner in which he tenses, or ...Michael does not know rightly what, but Adam asks him what is going on. 

Michael shakes his head. "I am incredibly glad to see you happy, I simply -" he sputters, drops his hand and turns away from Adam, trying to control himself. "I'm an archangel," he says to himself. "I don't...do this."

Adam, pushing his teacup away and standing, steps around the side of the kitchen table. "Do what?" He is gentle even as his voice holds a vestige of amusement. "Feeling things is okay, Michael." He doesn't want the other to feel as though he's got to be his perfect, soldierly self; that he's got to act like he understands everything, or that he must be stoic without feeling. "No one's asking you to be perfect, okay? Especially not me," Adam assures.

Michael huffs out a breath. "...I know that you don't." _You are different. You've always been different._ "You just... frustrate me," he blurts.

A laugh nearly bubbles out of Adam as he tries to shift forward and around the other's side in order to get a look at Michael's face. "I 'frustrate' you, huh?" He beams wider. "Okay, well, how do I do that?"

"The emotions you express... They're strange, uh, foreign to me," Michael starts, "but I... enjoy witnessing them." His face twists in confusion. "I enjoy seeing you happy." He faces Adam directly again now, his brow knitted, dark eyebrows low. "...and yet it frustrates me too."

There is silence from Adam and Michael tenses, worrying now that he has upset the other. Truly it is nonsensical for him to enjoy seeing Adam happy and yet to be frustrated by the expression of said happiness even so? It is incredibly confusing, and even more frustrating to him. Michael sighs and his shoulders are stiff and tight.

But then he feels warmth wrapping around him and a weight against his shoulder and back. Shifting slightly, he feels the grasp of fingers. Adam is holding on to him, wrapping an arm around Michael's torso. "It's okay," he says. Nudging his chin into the archangel's shoulder, "You can talk about this, or not...I imagine feelings would be kind of, almost impossible for you to explain. But that's the thing, is they're not logical." Shifting his hands to Michael's arms, Adam tilts his head, looks into the archangel's face. "I just, I want to let you know that it's - this is okay. Having these, sort of ... seemingly conflicting feelings is okay too." He looks at Michael and hangs on. "You can, we can figure them, figure things out if - " he thinks on what little Michael had told him about his time in the Empty, unmade. Swallowing hard, Adam continues, steadying himself: "We can talk whenever you want, okay?"

"Such decency," Michael sounds almost breathless, his gaze trailing down over and across Adam's features, eyelashes fluttering against his own skin as he blinks. "This understanding you've afforded me - even when I don't deserve it...."

Adam's face falls. Of course Michael deserves it, he wants to say. But he lets the angel continue. Gingerly, the other takes his hand, rubbing small circles into it with his thumb.

"Why..." Michael whispers, closing his eyes. That is what's frustrating. For Adam to offer his heart so earnestly when the world is prone to unleashing its derision. The archangel falls, or rather he feels that he does, yet it is only his head now that rests against the human's before him. He no longer shakes. "...why?" It's all he can say, and in doing so he's certain that he has driven the young man to silence and thus caused offense once more.

But why this human? Why does everything he say mean so much? He presses his lips together, feeling and surety blazing through him.

Michael doesn't have the words, but he knows. Neither of them speak more, and yet he knows.

He has fallen.

Adam is blinking and at last lifts his forehead away from Michael's. They are still holding hands as he says "Mike, I..."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't say such things, it's not customary to feel - to react to feeling in this manner - of course as I'm not human, my feelings are different and -" Michael fumbles over the words.

But he is physically stopped from continuing to speak by Adam catching hold of his face and pressing his lips to Michael's in a kiss. Gentle, warm, lingering. His eyes are closed but flutter back open as he withdraws in order to say to Michael "Angel, it's _okay_." He rubs and pats the archangel's cheeks with both thumbs. "Whenever you're ready to talk, I'll be here to listen. And even if you don't want to talk, hey, I'll be here then too. So." With a wry yet joyous little grin, Adam adds, taking, squeezing, and then relinquishing Michael's hand at last before stepping back to a respectable distance: "How was your day?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They're so sweet together I can hardly handle it
> 
> Thanks to Huhsuabee again for assistance :)
> 
> Comments appreciated


	4. Chapter 4

Adam throws together some dinner and they end up sitting together on the sofa afterwards, not really watching anything on this occasion, just being. Snuggled up together in lounge attire underneath a blanket.

While Adam wears hoodies and sweatpants around the house, Michael has learned he feels comfortable in less clothing, and is quite fond of tshirts. Many of them are on the tighter side, and sometimes he walks around in shorts as well that cause Adam to freeze for a second. Even more stupefying (for Adam, at least) is when the archangel strolls through the place fully nude. He said something once about the representation of himself in paintings and stained glass being accurate in this way, something about natural comfort, but Adam honestly zoned out and kept having to remind himself that as someone in the medical field he sees similar sights often enough. 

And yet, when Michael is walking bare through the house on a subsequent occasion some time much later, that doesn't help.

"Mike, stop, I mean I know I went to medical school and this is just... anatomy but oh, my god...."

Michael cocks his head and pivots to face Adam, looking him up and down. "I honestly don't see the problem. You're acting like this bothers you when your heart rate is through the roof, so I don't know who you're trying to fool."

Adam, red as a tomato, now blurts "yeah well I think you might have enough decency to help me keep my heart rate _down_." Swallowing and fastening his eyes on the ceiling "It's - distracting," Adam almost whines, hating himself for it.

"You're not in immediate danger..." A small smile is now on the archangel's face, which he does not try to hide save for acting as nonchalantly as possible. "You're in the medical field-- a little blood pumping's good for you."

"It's anatomy, it's just anatomy," Adam now mumbles to himself. "You're right, I'm in the medical field. I can control myself." He sucks in a breath and meets Michael's eyes. And if his own travel south for a second, well, sue him.

"Anatomy..." Michael hums in amusement, tilting his head and letting his gaze travel deliberately slow across Adam's features. "And what exactly are you trying to control yourself from...?" he chuckles, raising an eyebrow. "Everything has anatomy, Adam... so. What exactly is the problem?"

Adam closes his eyes. He knows - he thinks he knows - that Michael is simply messing with him, but it's getting incredibly hard (hard being the operative word in this instance) for him to handle himself. Or not. He hauls in another breath. "No problem," he finally manages, though the voice crack that happens belies his words.

Michael's teeth flash for a brief moment, a subtle sigh escaping from his lips. He leans in closer, murmuring, "And yet you close your eyes..." He slowly reaches up a hand and tentatively brushes a couple of his fingertips against Adam's cheek, causing the other to immediately freeze, goosebumps erupting over the skin Michael touches. "How did you ever pass with honors?" he beams.

Adam clenches his teeth. Damnit. He wants to look and yet he doesn't; this little two-step that is happening - Michael flirting? - is exciting him as he's started to sweat. Even with the goosebumps. "I worked hard," he breathes, throat bobbing as he blinks and focuses on Michael's eyes again. "Just like... I'm working hard right now."

At his words, Michael's face twists for a second in a genial mocking gesture. "Ohh," he breathes slowly, "I'm sorry this is _so_ difficult for you..." The corner of his lips curve in a slight smirk and he turns on his heel and starts walking. "Perhaps you're right. I should put on some clothes-- wouldn't want to be distracting."

Adam knows, he _knows _if he follows him that Michael is going to win this little game they're playing, but honestly he doesn't care anymore. "Hang on, let me help you," he starts after the archangel. "Since you - don't seem to know where clothes ARE."__

____

____

The only thing he can hope to do is pay Michael back in kind.

Michael comes to a stop, looking on with adoration as Adam passes him, taking particular delight in the way the young man ducks his head as he goes. He hums again. "Of course," he remarks as he follows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi yes these two are amazing, I'm not able to describe things coherently right now. This happens a while after last chapter, they're living and being together and I think it's beautiful <3
> 
> My greatest thanks to Huhsuabee for help writing this one with me and making Michael delightfully saucy
> 
> Comments appreciated :)


	5. Chapter 5

It is Michael who gazes up into Adam's eyes then, as Adam goes over to him and presses both hands on Michael's shoulders, gently ushering him to sit on the bed, knees bent, legs splayed, and Adam gently, oh-so-lightly strokes his fingertips down across the planes of Michael's chest, balls of his thumbs pressing to the archangel's pectoral muscles, swiping up around the buds of his nipples. Michael gasps, all teasing gone, his eyes blown wide, pupils enormous and dark as the endlessness of space that he showed to Adam once from memory. He expels the barest hint of air from his mouth.

"Again," he whispers, "Oh, Adam, will you - do that again, please?" Wetting his lips, voice wrecked and broken, he jumps as Adam complies and trails his hand down and back up Michael's chest, moving into him. Adam lifts one hand and pushes his fingers through Michael's hair after doing so. Strokes the near-black tresses away from his face.

"What do, what else do you want, Mike?" Adam responds, eyes travelling across the other's face, gauging reactions as he reaches out and cups Michael's jaw and cheek, swiping a thumb across his lips. "I can kiss you, I can hold you, just - tell me, okay?"

Michael begins blinking rapidly, at a loss because it's never been about him and what he desires; he simply does what he is told. "Whatever makes you happy, I am fine with," he gets out, eyes fluttering as Adam's hand remains in his hair. He ceases stroking, though, and expels a slight sigh.

"Okay, that's nice. I get it, but come on. Is there anything I can do..." The look in Michael's eyes makes Adam bite his lip and move in, rubbing his body against the archangel's. Michael's breathing begins to hitch as Adam adds "How about this: Knowing what YOU want to do would make me happy."

Feeling so acutely - so differently from the way humanity must, surely, despite the fact that Michael appears and acts moderately human. He is in possession of his own body, and can cater to his own wants and needs, for the first time in existence - and yet he has no idea what it is he wants. Except for Adam, standing, shifting against him in a manner that makes his nethers throb and tighten; makes his head spin and he clutches at Adam's waist for support, eyes trained on the young man's face. "I..." He swallows and rolls his shoulders, finally attempting - and managing - to speak. "I really enjoy - kissing you, Adam."

Michael's voice is small, yet Adam is smiling. Rubs the archangel's hair in encouragement. "Well okay, good. That's a start."

Shifting his hand to Michael's cheek, he leans in and presses their lips together with a touch feather-light and so so gentle. Such soft touches Michael trembles to feel, they make him ache in such a wonderful way to his very core. Always so harsh and strong and soldierly as he was in Heaven, he appreciates how gentle Adam is. 

Even as his mind feels as though it is spinning away and the fires of creation burst behind his eyes, trailing burning sensations after every touch of Adam's lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a short one, if you weren't up for all this softness I'm sorry but they're too adorable, I still can hardly handle it and I'm WRITING the darn thing
> 
> Next chapter will be more story/the possibility of them talking. As they've been doing here, communication is important! 
> 
> I have such affection for this pair, hope you're enjoying this. Comments appreciated :)


	6. Chapter 6

Adam is beyond words over the fact he now has the ability to be able to just... _live_ and have a home without being alone anymore. 

He was used to that, to being alone; growing up as a latchkey kid; making his own dinner and putting himself to bed. Remembers - vaguely, now, after so much time - being in a fury. Having to sit a moment in elementary school, talking to teachers or the counselor; or more often not talking and fading into the background. Wasn't until he was enrolled in the boy scouts and cotillion when he wasn't always alone; when he could stay later and take the bus home or carpool with a friend. He got used to asking if he could be dropped off at the grocery store to use the money his mom would leave for him, taking the coupon magazine in the store too. 

And he would make food for her, initially searching recipes when he had a break at school and using his printing priveleges (or jotting down a recipe on a scrap of paper) before checking out cookbooks from the library and keeping an eye out for useful ingredients, particularly in the coupon section of the newspaper. 

He was never above doing those things, if only to see his mother's face lose a bit if tiredness when she got home and was able to put her feet up whilst eating something he made. He recalls good days and bad days, and how she wouldn't outright say when she lost a patient on her hall, but she would hug him tightly and go through channels to find some sappy movie on such nights. Dozing under a blanket after shift.

She told him stories of good days, or funny times, and how she had patients tell her to fight them when she was going to be cleaning a bedpan. Twinkles in her eyes and tired smiles warred with pinched features full of emptiness, yet Adam learned from her to focus on the right thing, on saving and helping who you can. He thinks on how his mother always worked so hard and sacrificed so much to give him chances. Thinks about how she wanted him to chase his dreams, and he had been able to go to med school - as well as wanted to - because of her. She was pragmatic yet optimistic, and even as popular culture and movies are vagaries on the whole for Adam now, he vividly recalls his mother's favorite movie, the one they had recorded on an old VHS tape which she would put in if there weren't any good episodes of ER going on. 

She would watch, or they both would view iconic scenes with actors leading in their day, and Adam does his best to recall and describe certain scenes and moments; to keep them, and thus his mother's memory, alive within his heart and head. As well as to help Michael understand. 

Because he is not alone. Not anymore, and that makes so much difference.

 _"Play it, Sam. Play 'As Time Goes By'."_

_"Of all the gin joints in all the world, she had to walk into mine."_

I need your love. God speed your love to me. 

Memories blurry, vague, with a few flashes of clarity, Adam does his best to describe with animated aspect and waving hands. Slick asphalt, late night mist and an airplane taking a love away for the second time and forever. How the sharp dark eyes of Humphrey Bogart looked in the face of Ingrid Bergman as he chucked her underneath the chin. 

Adam tells Michael the gist, that Ilsa had to leave her old love behind to live life with the man that she had since married. A good man. He flips up Michael's collar and Michael stands with head cocked a little. "Like this?" He asks, hopefully, and Adam is struck, growing emotional, shaky as he starts to think of Michael leaving, being gone the way he had been. For _so long_ and Adam had not really broken down, not fully; he felt some days like he was splitting apart - 

Ducks his head in this moment to compose himself as much as for explaining the scene, his mother's favorite (in some way reminiscent of her life, Adam thought) and Michael's gentle touch goes through him as, lifting Adam's face, the archangel quietly intones "Here's looking at you, kid" that iconic line (the way Adam explained and remembered it), and then because he can see and sense and feel the sheer weight of Adam's emotion he instantly goes into a protective stance, lifting wings even in their plane before continuing with "Adam, what's wrong?"

Adam, sucking in air and shaking his head, trying to deal with his chest growing tight and aching, how it hurts and his breathing is speeding up and all he can manage to croak out is "Michael?" 

He clutches the other's sleeve, it's an anchor, and Michael replies "Yes, Adam, I'm here."

Shaking his head, blinking hard as tears spatter off his eyelashes, Adam gasps "Please - don't leave," He's panicking now, thinking as he had on the worst days, when Michael was gone and he was alone those six months, and _my mom's gone, my angel's gone... everyone goes, I don't - I can't do this -_

Yet both of Michael's hands are on his cheeks, holding him steady. Michael is gone no longer. He is real, and solid, warm, present. _**HERE.**_

The archangel leans his forehead against Adam's, swallowing, tone of voice deep, rough, almost harsh in the surety he is expressing "Never, Adam. Never again." Not if he can help it, and he can. He must. 

He holds Adam's face and, something within himself offering up what to do, Michael lifts his forehead. "May I?" He inquires before receiving a sharp, aborted nod. Adam is trembling yet he looks to Michael for help, with trust, and Michael refuses to let him down. "I've got you," Michael murmurs, pressing his lips to Adam's forehead, words spoken against Adam's skin, willing them to provide comfort and sink in. 

He continues holding Adam's cheeks and begins kissing him all over his face to bring him assurance and help him out of this panic he feels. He presses his lips to Adam's temples and ghosts them over his nose, his chin, tilting Adam's head up so gently, lingering presses to his cheeks. Adam's got his fingers curled around Michael's wrist now, just to hold on to him, to _something_ , and gasps. Michael has not kissed anyone before Adam. Ever the soldier and protector, not a lover, but a fighter - and so he must figure out so much. He is overwhelmed, as such as he can be, at the chance given to him by Adam, to be affectionate, having permission to do so.

Michael figures out the best way to press his lips to Adam's jaw and neck in order to soothe him, to stop the pounding of his heart in his pulse point, to cease lung seizing from lack of adequate airflow. He takes care to stay in Adam's space, to assure him of his presence and feelings, and Adam is just - offering himself. Adam tilts his head to provide better access and after catching his breath, eventually begins whispering encouragement to the archangel.

"Yes, go ahead, that feels really good," he says as Michael trails his lips along the line of Adam's jaw. "You can open your mouth a little, ah - there," as the archangel obeys, lipping along the soft skin just under Adam's chin. He feels Michael's tongue and suggests him use it to stroke "only if you want to, I -" and his voice breaks in a high sound as Michael's lips trail over to his ear, tongue dragging over the sensitive spot just beneath, and as Michael brushes the bottom of Adam's earlobe he cannot stop a gasp of "Yes! Ah, use your teeth, a little, just, not pressing down too hard, uh -" and Michael obeys, teeth to the flesh of Adam's ear, nipping gently as his tongue swirls around the lobe, and Adam lets out a groan before registering in his hazy, blissful brain that might carry different connotations to the archangel, so he presses himself closer and practically whimpers "This feels - amazing, you're so -" his voice breaks and becomes barely a breath. "You're so good to me, Michael."

And that drives him to be even better, just as too it drives Adam to work tirelessly for him and for other people, and moment by moment, inch by inch, Adam loses the terror of returning to his house after a long shift only to find himself once again alone.

For he is no longer alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I was going to have them talk some about Michael having a body rather than a vessel and how he got out of the Empty... (also I do intend to mention the girl Adam found and thought must have been possessed again) but something tells me to end this here and keep on with another series installment. What do you think?
> 
> Comments appreciated :)


End file.
